


The Neatest Moth in Hatchetfield

by too_many_obssesions



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Mothman!Paul, cryptid AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:21:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24237979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/too_many_obssesions/pseuds/too_many_obssesions
Summary: Just a fluffy moth guy with his girlfriend. Oh, and the usual Hatchetfield shenanigans. I mean, nobody was surprised to learn about the council of cryptids that was hidden in the woods.
Relationships: Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Comments: 5
Kudos: 29





	1. Gifts

**Author's Note:**

> I’m posting this for my friend Comfort who you can find @thecrabbybarista on Tumblr. All credit goes to her!

"I've connected the dots."

"Zoey, you didn't connect shit."

"I've connected them!"

Emma crossed her arms. "I told you, I didn't find mothman. He's not even real."

"Well, I think you're hiding him somewhere." Zoey said.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because," Zoey began as she put a spoonful of honey into her tea, "Maybe you're keeping him for your own scientific research."

"The only thing I know about science is drugs." Emma was so glad that there weren't any customers nearby

"Emma… I will never understand you."

"Good."

Paul was at home, blissfully unaware of the argument. He had taken a liking to turning the stove on and off and just staring at the fire. He tried to touch it, but it felt too hot. He did not touch it. Fire is evil. Fire is unyielding. Fire is incapable of love. Paul no longer liked the fire, so he moved on to the outside orb. Emma did not let Paul fly into the outside orb. Paul went back inside to stare at the lamp in the living room instead. It was a very pretty lamp. He picked it up. He would bring this to Emma, because Emma was capable of love, yielding, and not evil. He went outside and walked down the sidewalk. He couldn't fly while he was holding the lamp. He might break it. As he walked to Beanies he got many weird looks, but he didn't care. He walked into the shop with a small smile. He put the lamp on the counter. "I got you a present, Em!"

That sent Zoey into a fit of laughter

Emma's face went red with embarrassment. "Thank you, Paul." She said as she picked up the lamp. Wasn't that the one in the living room? Didn't he know that she already owned this?

"HIS NAME IS PAUL-?!"

Emma and Paul ignored Zoey as she continued to snicker and giggle. Paul didn't understand what was so funny about his name.

"Paul, you know we already have this lamp, right?" Emma asked.

"But I wanted to give you a present!"

"How about we go shopping and get presents for each other later?"

"I have another present!" Paul said, leaning forward a bit.

"Hm? Oh-! Paul, not right now, we're in public-!"

But it was too late. He gave Emma a small peck on her forehead. She was almost angry at him, but she couldn't be when he had such a hopeful look on his face, begging for her approval. Emma sighed. "Thank you." She looked behind her, hoping that Zoey didn't see that. Luckily, Zoey was occupied by her tea with honey. "So, where do you want to get presents?"

"Ikea."

"... Ikea??"

Paul nodded. "Ikea."

"Do you even know what that is???"

"They have lamps."

"I know, but we're gonna get lost. When have you ever been in an Ikea?"

He thought for a moment. "Last week."

"When was that?"

"Um… Nighttime."

"You went into an Ikea while I was sleeping?"

Paul nodded. "They wouldn't let me hold the lamps."

"We'll go to Ikea once my shift is over. I'll get you a lamp to hold." Emma wouldn't be surprised if she went blind because of the amount of lights in her house in the not so distant future.

That night, Emma had another new lamp on her living room table. Well, it was mostly in Paul's hands, but the table was where he kept it. The two got ready for bed an hour later. Emma turned off the lights and tucked herself into bed. Paul laid down next to her, but he didn't go to sleep. He just kept staring at Emma.

"Why are you staring at me?" Emma asked him. "Aren't you tired?"

"You're just really pretty." Paul said softly, as he wrapped his arms around her.

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Paul."

"Goodnight, Emma."


	2. Dewdrops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again this is the work of my amazing friend Comfort who you can find on Tumblr as thecrabbybarista.

Paul had almost forgotten that he had applied for a job in Hatchetfield. Emma had to remind him that it was his first day at CCRP Technical. He put on a pair of blue sweatpants and a pastel yellow sweater and got ready for the day. He had his breakfast, (cinnamon toast) slipped on his brown boots, gave Emma a goodbye kiss, and skipped out the door. As he was skipping, he noticed something in the grass next to the sidewalk. Little drops of water were scattered across the green blades. He suddenly felt a chill. Paul's antenna and wings twitched. He knew what that meant. He flapped his wings until he was lifted off of the sidewalk and flew to the building. Time was precious. It couldn't be wasted.

Paul sat down at his new desk. A very nice lady, named Melissa, helped him get settled and ready to work. He had three co-workers. Charlotte, Ted, and Bill. He was a little nervous around Charlotte and Ted, but Bill seemed to have a friendly aura. In fact, he looked a little familiar. Weren't they friends before Paul had to return to the forest? And he had a little one too! Alice! That was it. But Bill was occupied doing work. Paul looked back at the computer on his desk. He liked it. It was very bright. He didn't touch his keyboard at all. No working, only staring. After about ten minutes, he got hungry. He picked up something on his desk. It made some kind of crunching sound. Like leaves. Welp, down the hatch it goes. It felt chewier once it was in his mouth. It didn't taste like anything he had ever had before. He took another piece of this mystery snack next to him and kept staring at his computer screen. Then he felt something touch his shoulder. He looked to his left to see Bill with a concerned look on his face.

"Hey, Paul? Have you had anything to eat??" He asked as Paul swallowed a second piece of his snack.

Paul nodded. "Yep!" He chirped. "I haven't seen you in awhile, Bill."

"I- I know that, but that's not important right now. You're eating paper."

Paul finally decided to look at the source of his food. His hand was placed on a stack of thin, crisp, rectangular, white sheets. "Paper is good."

"Paul, I'm really sorry but it's not for eating." Bill gave him an apologetic frown.

"Oh." Paul took his hand off of the stack of paper, disappointed.

"If you want to get a snack or something we can go to this coffee place! It's just a few blocks away. We're gonna be on break soon so you won't have to be hungry for too long." Bill said with a friendly smile.

"That sounds great-" Paul was interrupted when his attention was instead brought to a ringing noise. It was the phone on Charlotte's desk. Paul didn't mean to be rude and eavesdrop, but he was already focused on the noise. Charlotte picked up the phone.

"CCRP Technical, this is Charlotte, how can I hel- oh hi, Sam!" A bright smile appeared on her face. "How are things down at the garden?" She asked. "Oh, that's not a surprise. My day's been-" The smile faded away. "Oh. How late?" Charlotte lowered her voice and pulled the phone slightly to the side. Paul couldn't hear what she was saying until she shouted "What do you mean 'so what?', the counselor said we should do it at least once a month!" She frowned, clearly frustrated. "Yes, but we skipped last month. Fine. Tomorrow it is." After a few moments she glared. It looked like she would hesitate to murder whoever she was talking to if they were right in front of her. "'Stick to the schedule, stick to the schedule!' Is that all you can say? Don't even start-" Charlotte let out an irritated sigh. "I am so fed up with this!! I'm not going to have this fight at work, Sam. Call me when you want to start being my husband again." She hung up and slammed the phone onto her desk. Paul felt so bad for listening. Charlotte tapped her sharp nails on her desk, looking down and not saying anything. Paul looked back at his computer screen and hugged it. It made him feel a little better.

Bill took Paul to Beanies during their break. Ted insisted on going with them. Paul found himself staring at the dewdrops on the grass again, and so did Ted.

Ted looked a little familiar too.

The three walked into the coffee shop. Paul gave Emma a wave as he closed the door behind him. "I'll get everyone's drinks!" He began walking towards the counter, but Bill stopped him.

"It's fine, I can do it." He said.

"But I want to talk to Emma!" Paul frowned.

"Does she know about the others?" Bill asked

Paul shook his head. He had vowed to never tell anyone ever again. "Not allowed to tell. Can I please-"

"I'm… Sorry for interrupting. Go ahead." Bill moved out of the way and let Paul go to the counter.

"Still bitter, Bill?" Ted elbowed him softly.

"He can't just trust everyone he meets! Especially in his situation."

"I know he doesn't seem bright, but he can still make decisions. You just need to stop being so overprotective."

"Ted, I have every right to be protective!"

Paul stopped the conversation from escalating when he came back with a chai iced tea, a caramel frappuccino, and a cup of black coffee.

The rest of the day was quite peaceful. Paul and Bill got lunch together and had a few nice chats. Paul got home at 4:30pm. The dewdrops were still resting on the grass. He was welcomed home with a hug from Emma. "How did everything go?" She asked him.

"It was great!" Paul said, picking Emma up and carrying her bridal style, just to make her giggle like she always did. "There were lots of lights, and I got to have lunch with my old friend, Bill."

"You found him?" Emma had heard stories about Bill. Paul said that they drifted apart and that he couldn't see him for a while. "Paul, that's awesome."

"Like you?"

"Shush." Emma smiled, giving him a quick kiss.

He put Emma down, his cheeks sprinkled with a light pink tint.

They watched a few TV shows together after Paul had innocently asked for Netflix and chill. (He doesn't know the implications) He made them a fruit salad for dinner. They were cuddling on the couch when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." Emma said. She walked over to the door and opened it. She was speechless when she saw what was there.

There. Right on her doorstep, was a bipedal tabby cat. It was about half Emma's size in height. It wore a dark red blazer with two large pockets and a purple tie. The letters "D E C" were written vertically on the tie. On the right side of the blazer, next to her tie, was a small symbol. It was a purple and black shield with the number 4 in the middle. Some of the fur on its head was curly, and some of it even went past its sky blue eyes.

"We need to talk about the dewdrops-" The strange creature began. "Oh. You aren't the moth…"

"Paul…?" Emma finally managed to call to him. "I think somebody needs to talk to you."


	3. The Council of Mythos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet again by my dear friend Comfort who you can still find at thecrabbybarista .

Paul joined Emma at the door and jumped back as soon as he saw the feline on the doorstep. His antenna began to rapidly twitch this way and that. He held onto Emma's shoulder. "Cat…!"

"Mothman, you have always been a coward. I cannot believe the people thought you were a creature of the shadows. Now, I'm hoping that you remember the mind wiping spell?" The cat tapped its feet impatiently.

Paul shook his head, frowning.

"Hah. How ironic." It said, not sounding amused in the slightest. "That's unfortunate, seeing as how I can't learn that spell. Who is that woman you are clinging to?"

"I'm Emma." She just wanted the cat to leave.

"Release Emma, and follow me." The cat's fluffy tail swished as it walked away.

Paul followed it, but did not let go of Emma. This cat was scarier than the rest of them.

It turned around and saw Emma. "I said, release her." It said as it stopped walking.

Paul shook his head. "I want her to come with us. You're scary, and she makes me less scared."

"I can become more scary if you don't do what I tell you. They don't call me 'The Cat of Exmoor', you know."

He still clung to Emma, staring at the cat with puppy dog eyes.

"You're lucky that moths are inherently cute." It turned around and led them down the sidewalk, down a damp dirt path, and into the woods.

The forest was dark and thick with trees. The cat had to lead the pair through the darkness. Paul could barely see anything, so he still had to hold on to Emma. As they went deeper into the forest, fireflies began to appear and light up the area. That only helped for so long, since the fog came in soon after. They kept going until Emma couldn't see anything, and the cat had run into something. "Here's the door… But… Damnit, I can't find it. Mothman, you're a level 6, right?"

"Yes, I- I think!"

"You should know the defogging spell."

"I do-"

"Then recite it."

Paul took a deep breath and spread his wings, finally letting Emma go.

"By request of the moth, may the spirit of wind and sky return the sight of these three mortals."

Nothing happened.

"It's eyes, not sight, you dense cabbage!!!" Someone yelled from the other side of the door as the fog washed away.

The cat sighed as it looked down at the now visible lock. "Oh! Of course it's unlocked, we have a meeting today."

Emma looked around, a little confused. The defogging spell had revealed a large wooden door, taller than some of the trees. Paul and the cat pushed it open and walked through the entrance. Emma followed them. On the other side of the door was a little village. The moonlight peeked through the treetops, shining on the cobblestone path that cut through the moss covered stones and bluish green grass. Dancing around the little cabins and mushroom shaped huts were pink and purple fireflies, bright as can be. Past the houses and plants were three large structures. The center one was a building made out of stone, with a gold colored dome roof, and a door made of purple stained glass. The building on the left was made of pine wood. Through the windows that lined the front it, Emma could see bookshelves and desks. It must've been a school. The structure to the right was a small white dome, held up by four pillars. Some vines and flowers could be seen behind the pillars. There seemed to be a sound coming from that direction, like a child crying.

"Welcome back, Mrs. Beast of Exmoor!" By the door, there was a man with light grey hair. He held an axe in his right hand, which didn't go well with his otherwise friendly look. He wore a blazer just like the Beast of Exmoor, except his was light green with a brown collar and tie. The shield symbol next to the tie was the same two colors as his blazer, with the number 6 in the middle. On his tie were the letters "E L V". On his head were two goat horns. "Oh! I see you brought Mothman along too."

Paul waved. "Hello!"

The Beast frowned. "It's not Mrs. today… I need to talk some sense into that miserable wraith."

Emma stared at the axe wielding man and blinked a few times. She hadn't seen him in years. There was no way it was really… "Professor Hidgens…?"

Paul shook his head. "No, no, no, Emma that's Goatman-"

"Emma! My old pupil! I can't believe I didn't recognize you."

"We have a meeting-"

"Professor! What the fuck happened to you?!"

"Well, I was taking a trip to Maryland-"

The Beast cleared her throat. "We are not going to be late, Goat. Come on. Emma, you can wait at Paul's house. It's to your left, mushroom shaped, green roof. So bright inside that it might be a health hazard, it's hard to miss."

"Okay, but I have several questions." Emma said.

"Sorry Em, I don't have any time to tell you." Paul said as he walked away towards the large building with the golden dome roof, following the Beast and Goatman.

They entered the building and took their seats, which were arranged in a circle around in front of a podium. A bipedal fox with nine white, fluffy tails waving around behind her stood behind the podium. She wore a black blazer with a white collar and tie. Her shield symbol was golden with a number 1 in the center. On her tie were the letters "P E I P". A black cap covered her pointy ears. Some of her fur was curly, much like the Beast's. "Could all level four creatures please assume their cryptid form?" She asked, though it sounded more like an order.

All of the creatures in the red and purple blazers were silent.

"That includes you, Mr. Green." The fox said, giving the boy in the seal skin jacket a glare.

"But It's so dry in here." He complained.

"That's what the tank of water under your chair is for." 

"Fiiine." He took off his jacket and pulled the tank of water out from underneath his chair. He dipped the jacket into the water and quietly muttered his shapeshifting spell. In a puff of blue smoke, there was a seal tail where his legs originally were.

"Good, now for roll call." The fox picked up the scroll that was on the top of the podium and opened it, reading all the names.

The entirety of level one, or the tempting class was present. Zoey, Gerald, and Melissa were all there in their pink and red blazers.

All of Level two, the hazard class, had attended. Nora, Sam, and Linda sat in their chairs, seeming oddly calm.

Level three, or the demigod class was quite lonely. Ted, son of Loki was there which meant no one was absent.

The deceiving class was full. Ethan, Charlotte AKA The Beast of Exmoor, and Grace were fooling around instead of paying attention.

Level five, the bravery class, who had made themselves into the PEIP organization, was a little lonely as well. Xander was sitting by himself since Helen was the one doing roll call, and John had unfortunately passed.

Level six, the elven class, was happy to be in the meeting. Paul fluttered his wings as his name was called, along with Henry's (Goatman), and Millie.

Level seven, or the web class was a bit smaller since they had been betrayed. Only Lex was there. Hannah was nowhere to be found.

Helen's tails swished back and forth as she sighed. "Of course today's most important member isn't here. Alexandra, may you please find your sister?"

Lex nodded and left the room.

About ten minutes later, she returned with her little sister, Hannah, who was screaming and wailing as loud as she could. A few members of the council covered their ears. "Here she is." Lex said, frowning with concern. "Hasn't calmed down since this morning, it seems."

"This is bad…" Helen said with a frown. "This means we have to act fast. Hannah predicted John's death, correct?"

Lex nodded. "That's what banshees do."

"So, we must learn to plan better this time. Hannah! Bring your gaze upon me!!" Helen commanded.

Hannah obliged, tears rolling down her cheeks like rainfall.

"What is the name of the one about to perish?"

Everyone else in the room tensed up.

"Eh- eh-" Hannah stuttered in between gasps.

"Speak, banshee!"

"Emma!!!" Hannah screamed.


	4. Safety with the Dream Eater

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual by my dear friend Comfort at thecrabbybarista on Tumblr.

Hannah repeated the name several times, still crying. Each time the name was repeated, Paul could feel his stomach getting sicker and sicker with dread.

"Interesting…" Helen looked around the room. "I don't believe we have an Emma here."

A short blonde woman with ruby red bird wings from level two raised her hand. "Oh, Mrs, er… Schae… Actually, I'll just call you fox."

"It's Schaeffer, Mrs. Monroe. Or should I just call you bird?" There was a hint of anger in her voice that didn't show on her face. "Now, what is it?"

"If we don't know this woman, then why should we even care?" The blonde crossed her arms, clearly already bored with the meeting. "I have a hair appointment today, and I would appreciate it if I could get there on time."

"Linda, the world doesn't revolve around you!" A green skinned nymph with reddish-brown shouted from her chair, next to the rest of level six. "And we're not all like you!"

"Well, I'm sorry that you can't set yourself on fire, Millie. What am I supposed to do? It's not my fault. Besides, you really have no place arguing with me. I mean, you work for Greenpeace. Your job is practically begging other people for money." Linda had a subtle smirk on her face. She leaned back in her chair, full of confidence. 

"Okay, everyone, calm down!" Paul raised his voice so he could be heard above the murmuring of the others in the room. "We need to actually plan!"

"Why? I'm with Lindsey here. We shouldn't care about this stranger." Ted put his hand on Linda's shoulder, who quickly pushed him out of his chair.

"Lindsey?!?" She cried out. She couldn't believe someone would disrespect her like that. "I'll have you ripped to shreds before you can help me, you disrespectful maggot!! You don't even belong here! You're a human!"

That got Charlotte to hiss.

Linda was quite amused by that. "And what are you doing to do, pussy?"

Her hissing started to turn into growling.

"Silence!!!" Helen ordered.

But the council did not listen.

Fights broke out around the room. Some were trying to stop the fighting. Others just watched, either entertained or worried. A woman with emerald green eyes, glasses, and brown hair was the one to stop the fighting. She got a glass bottle full of light pink dust out of the bag that was slung over her shoulder. She threw the bottle into the center of the room. It shattered, and the dust scattered around the circle of chairs. A calming aura claimed every member of the council, it even stopped Hannah's wailing for a few seconds. It also happened to put Ted and Charlotte to sleep. Helen rubbed her eyes, and looked at the green-eyed woman. "Thank you, Melissa." Helen sighed with relief.

"Well, I gotta use the dreams for something. It gets so tense in here sometimes." Melissa said with a frown. "So, does anyone here know Emma?"

Paul fluttered his wings and raised his hand. "I know Emma! She's very nice, and cute, and pretty!"

Melissa's frown disappeared. Hearing people gush about the ones they love always cheered her up for some reason. "Maybe you could protect her! With some help, of course."

"That is a good idea, Melissa." Helen looked around the room. "Does anyone else have any suggestions."

Someone from level four raised their paw. They took the appearance of some kind of brown racoon. Their small bushy tail couldn't be seen by the others at the moment, but it was certainly there.

Helen smiled upon seeing that paw. "Grace, you always have the best ideas. What do you suggest."

"Maybe a small group of people should leave the forest. After all, that's where the beithir went after it killed John." She said. "I suggest bringing levels one, three, and four. Level one could manipulate our enemy, while three and four can easily blend in with human society. And PEIP should supervise the mission of course."

Helen nodded. "That's a great idea, Grace. Are we all in favor?"

After voting, Grace's idea won with eleven votes.

"Would anyone like to add anything else?"

The room was silent, other than Hannah's continuous wailing.

"Meeting dismissed!"

Paul and Melissa went to tell Emma about the news. Paul opened the door and was greeted by a hug. Emma looked up at Paul. "How was the meeting?" She asked

There was some kind of distant look in his eyes as he looked back down at Emma. "It was… Informative. We need to tell you something, Em."

Emma furrowed her eyebrows. "What's wrong, Paul?"

"The banshee has predicted your death, Emma." Melissa explained.

"... What?"

"Don't worry! We'll protect you. We have everything all planned out. Paul and I will watch over you." Melissa tried to give Emma a reassuring smile.

"Can Paul and I please have some alone time?" Emma asked. "This is just a lot to take in."

"Of course, Em-"

"Sorry, we don't have time." Melissa interrupted Paul. "We're going to the academy to learn some spells 'n stuffs.

"Oh, okay." Paul frowned as Melissa led him out of the house.

Emma waved goodbye and sat down on the floor for a bit, feeling nervous. She didn't want to die. She had so much she still wanted to do. She had a pot farm to start. She had a life to live. She had Paul.

So, Emma was left by herself in the house. She wandered around. The place was bright, but it wasn't as unbearable as the Beast had made it out to be. Fairy lights were laid out in every room, and instead of the bright yellow light that came from the lamps at home, the lamps around the house radiated a pale and ghostly light, like the moon. Emma rubbed her eyes. It was probably way past her bedtime. She walked into the bedroom. The floor was covered in soft carpet. There was a bookshelf full of spellbooks against the wall and next to the bed. There was a beanbag chair in each corner of the room. Emma hopped onto the bed, covered with the softest blankets and the squishiest pillows she had ever felt. She tucked herself in, and drifted off to sleep.

Paul and Melissa browsed the library. Melissa had found a few books on how to efficiently and safely collect and clean nightmares, and spellcasting for level one. Paul was able to find a couple of texts about protection spells, and a book about how to grow, care for, and train man-eating plants. That would be very useful. Well, it would have been if he wasn't distracted by a nearby fire. Paul looked up from the book he was reading and saw two red wings emerge from the flames. As quickly as the fire had appeared, it vanished to reveal Linda, covered in ashes. "Samuel, your wife is one of the most HORRID things here!" She complained, dusting the ashes off of her clothes with her hands. "Why would you ever marry a thing like her?"

Sam, who was leaning against the wall next to Linda, shrugged. "She used to be kind of cute. Now she's just angry at me all the time."

"She's angry at everyone all the time!" Linda stomped her foot in the ashes. She sounded like a child complaining about how her sibling got to play on the Xbox longer than she did.

"Everyone except Ted." Sam grumbled, kicking the air.

"And Ted fucking sucks!" Linda sat down in the ashes, forgetting that they were there.

"I know right?"

Paul looked away from them, getting bored of their complaining. He had to stop getting distracted. For Emma.

Once Paul and Melissa were satisfied with their collection of books, they went back to Paul's house. They had a nice talk, which was mostly just Melissa cracking jokes. Paul laughed at all of them. He was so happy to have a new friend. They walked into the house and found Emma passed out in the bedroom. Melissa gasped suddenly. Paul looked at her, worried. "What is it?" He asked, nervously twitching his antenna.

"Oh that's a bad one…"

"What is it though?"

"A nightmare."

"What???"

"Hold Emma still for me, okay."

"Okay???"


	5. My World, My Sun, My Universe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know the drill by now, the chapter is by Comfort at thecrabbybarista

Emma mumbled in her sleep, frowning as Paul firmly held onto her shoulders. Melissa got an empty bottle out of her bag and put it on Paul's bookshelf. Then she found the book she had checked out earlier. She opened it. "Paul, could you hold that bottle up to Emma's mouth for me?"

"Um, okay!" Paul grabbed the bottle from the bookshelf and followed Melissa's directions, still keeping one hand on her shoulder. "What exactly are we doing??" He asked worriedly.

"I'm collecting her nightmare." Melissa said, gently placing her middle and pointer fingers on Emma's temples after putting the book onto the floor beside her, still opened. "They can have dangerous effects in this place. It's because of the aura. The magic in the air makes it easier for dark spirits to get into your head, especially if you're human. Also, this is basically my job." She took a bottle full of pink dust out of her bag, leaving her other hand on Emma's temple. She opened the bottle and dumped the dust into her mouth. She immediately put her fingers back onto Emma's other temple.

Paul didn't say anything else to her. He looked down at Emma. "It'll be okay." He said to her, softly.

Melissa started to hum quietly. It was a calming tune, neither joyful nor sorrowful. Her eyes looked a brighter shade of green than usual. She kept humming, looking down at the book. She turned the page with her foot, her shoes leaving a small muddy print.

"Don't you think we should take better care of that book?"

She ignored Paul's question as her melody became a song. Her eyes seemed to glow.

"Death of night shan't ruin me.

Banish thee, banish thee!

Run away to distant land.

Don't return, don't return and

Do not seize, let us be free.

Banish thee, banish thee!"

Emma woke up, wide eyed, and began to cough.

Paul looked back up at Melissa. "Did it work?"

Melissa didn't respond. She had devoted her attention to Emma, and only Emma.

Emma continued to cough, inhaling quickly through her nose. She coughed harder, and harder, until suddenly a black cloud filled the bottle. Melissa snatched the bottle from Paul and sealed it with a cork from her bag. "Thanks, Paul." She said, placing the bottle back on the bookshelf. She let go of Emma's temples and sat on the edge of the bed, next to her.

Emma held onto Paul's hand, hoping that it would slow her rapid breathing. "What just happened?!"

"You were having a nightmare. Melissa put it in a bottle or something." Paul tried to explain.

"I pushed it out of your mind. That was a nightmare conjured by dark magic. If I had left it there, it could have had ever lasting effects." Melissa got another bottle of pink dust out of her bag and dumped the contents into her mouth. The light in her eyes was slowly becoming less intense as she took a few deep breaths. "Whoever is out to kill you is trying to weaken you first, it seems. Which means you're quite the remarkable human."

That didn't make Emma feel much better. "Um, thanks?"

Paul sat down on the bed, squirming a bit. "Melissa, do you think Emma and I could have some alone time? This is probably just a lot for her to take in…"

"Well, she might possibly be able to say the same thing about you. I mean, I wouldn't know but..." Melissa saw that Emma was still confused by what had happened before, and Paul wasn't even paying attention. "Oh, you probably wouldn't get the joke anyways."

That caught Paul's attention. "What joke? I wanna hear!"

"Nevermind." Melissa left, closing the door behind her.

"Well, now that she's gone…"

Paul smiled, already knowing what Emma was about to say. She was the biggest softie when they were alone.

"Can we cuddle?"

"Yeah, just a second." Paul stood up and did something he never thought that he would do in his life. He turned off all of the lights in the room.

"What are you doing?" Emma asked.

"I'm turning the lights off. If I keep them on your smile might make the room too bright."

"Well, since you can't see it now, I think I'm blushing." Emma held onto the blanket tight. She already felt a bit giddy.

Paul felt his way back to the bed and tucked himself in next to Emma, haphazardly kicking his boots off and leaving them on the floor. "Em, you mean the world to me. I just wanted to let you know."

"Paul… I- I don't want you to stay stuff like that. I'm sorry." Her giddiness left her. The thought of how he would feel if the banshee's warning ended up becoming a reality had just occurred to her.

"Why?" He frowned.

"What if I do end up dying?"

"Emma, I'm not going to let that happen to you."

"Paul, I'm scared." Emma admitted. "I was scared of falling in love with you. I was scared that we would get too attached and that something would happen, because that's just my luck. And now I'm scared of losing you, just like I thought I would be."

"Would it make you feel better if I sang you a lullaby?"

Emma was silent.

"Em?"

"I don't know what I did to deserve someone as great as you."

Paul sat up and put Emma on his lap, wrapping his wings around her. "You just existed. You're my world, my sun, my universe. You deserve all the love I have to offer."

"Paul, don't do this. I'm going to die and-"

"Ssh, ssh, ssh…" He put a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently. He started to sing softly. "Images of broken light-"

"Paul!!" Emma interrupted him. She stayed quiet and still for a moment, before turning on the lamp on the bedside table so she could see Paul's face. Her gaze lingered on his eyes. She squeezed his hand, sighing. "Start from the beginning of the song this time. Of course you would start with the part about light, you dork."

His soft wings hugged her tighter as he smiled softly and started to sing again. "Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup. They sliver while they pass, they slip away across the universe."

Emma rested her head against his chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat echo through her mind.

"Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my open mind possessing and caressing me."

She held onto his sweater. He wasn't the best singer, but it didn't matter. It sounded beautiful anyways.

Paul started to rock Emma back and forth, slowly. "Jai Guru Deva, om. Nothing's gonna change my world, nothing's gonna change my world. Nothing's gonna change my world, nothing's gonna change my world."

Emma felt comforted by those words. She knew how much he would do for her. She didn't know why. Sometimes she felt like she didn't deserve it. But that wouldn't change the fact that Paul would do anything for her. Maybe things could be okay. Maybe there was a chance that she would finally have something in life.

"Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes, they call me, on and on across the universe. Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box, they tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe."

The way his eyes lit up at just the mention of the word 'light' made her know for sure. She couldn't lose him. It was impossible. And he wouldn't lose her.

"Jai Guru Deva, om. Nothing's gonna change my world, nothing's gonna change my world. Nothing's gonna change my world, nothing's gonna change my world."

She wanted to cry a bit. She never thought someone would even dream about loving her so much. She never thought she was worth it. But something in her mind was starting to change. A tiny speck of doubt in the way she currently saw herself was growing.

"Sounds of laughter, shades of life are ringing through my open ears, inciting and inviting me."

Emma looked up, letting her eyes meet his again.

"Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns, it calls me on and on, across the universe."

She wanted to kiss him. Not just the quick pecks that they normally exchanged. She wanted to really kiss him.

"Jai Guru Deva, om. Nothing's gonna change my world, nothing's gonna change my world. Nothing's gonna change my world, nothing's gonna change my world."

She wanted to kiss him so damn bad.

"Jai Guru Deva, Jai Guru Deva, Jai Guru Deva, Jai Guru Deva, Jau Guru Deva…" Paul hugged her tighter with his wings and arms as he finished singing. "Feeling better, Moonlight...?" He asked.

Emma was quiet for a second. She moved her hand up to his cheek, caressing it. "Can I please kiss you?"

"You don't need to ask." Paul leaned forward to make it easier for her.

She held onto either side of his face, bringing it closer to hers until their lips were just inches apart. "Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. I don't see why you're making a kiss such a big dea-"

Emma let both of them catch some breath before finally kissing him. Hard. Paul's face turned bright red as his antenna started to twitch frantically and his eyes widened. There was no way that sensation had the same name as the quick greetings and goodbyes they shared. He held onto Emma as tight as he could, starting to melt into the kiss. Emma wrapped her arms around his waist, nipping at Paul's lip. He wanted to say something, but the words were stolen by the overwhelming feeling of joy that had flooded his mind. It instead came out as a small whimper. Emma closed her eyes as she held onto him tighter, while his eyes stayed wide open to admire the beauty in front of him. Her breath tasted like summer nights. It was warm and sweet, with hints of lemon tea. Paul's breath tasted like snowy winter mornings. The flavors of cinnamon and chocolate blended together perfectly. Neither of them wanted to let go. Ever. Emma opened her eyes just so that she could stare into Paul's, longingly, but she kept them half-lidded. She wanted more, but now was not the time. She had to go back to Earth and get some air. Their lips parted. Both of them took a few breaths before they spoke.

"Did you like that…?" Emma asked.

"Emma, I loved it." Paul's face was still red as a tomato, and his antenna couldn't keep still. "Are you sure it's a kiss though? Usually those are more quick."

Emma chuckled lightly. "You can kiss someone in a lot of different ways, Paul."

"I love you Moonlight."

"... I love you too, Sunbeam."


	6. Don’t Leave her Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always this is by my friend Comfort who’s thecrabbybarista on tumblr

Sunlight peeked through the treetops and windows as a bell chimed in the garden. Melissa walked into the room, gently prodding Emma's head with a bottle and then doing the same to Paul. She walked around the room, turning the lights on. "Paul! Emma! It's time to wake up!" She called. "As much as I love dreams, they have to end at some point. You two need to make your own breakfast."

Emma stirred a bit before waking up. She didn't want to move and untangle hers and Paul's legs from each other. It was cozy, and Paul was clinging to her. Emma sighed. They both had to get up and eat something. "Sunbeam." She said softly. "There's lots of light outside." She gently nudged him, smiling a bit.

Paul's eyes opened wide. "Morning, Em." He sat up, still clutching Emma. He looked around the room, smiling. He couldn't decide which light to stare at. Eventually, he decided on his Moonlight. His gaze settled on her tired eyes. "Pretty…"

"Paul, we need to make breakfast." Emma looked down, blushing a tiny bit.

"Oh, Emma, you're in for a treat!" Melissa chirped. "Paul makes the most delicious fruit salads! He brings them to parties all the time. He said he's got this-"

"Ssshh!" Paul looked up at Melissa. "Don't spoil it!"

Melissa grinned, giggling a bit. "Fine, fine. Come on, you lovebirds."

Emma sat up, her smile growing slightly.

The three gathered in Paul's kitchen. The sink was empty and clean. The pastel blue and purple walls tied the friendly feeling in the room together. Paul opened the fridge and placed a few strange looking fruits on the counter. The round, swishy magenta fruit, about the size of an apple looked the most appetizing out of all of them. That's not to say that the small, semi-transparent pink spheres or the blue citrus fruit didn't look delicious either.

"Oh my gosh, those flavor combinations are the best." Melissa could barely hold still. She mostly ate dreams, but at parties she got to try all sorts of new things.

"Gelberries are one of my favorite foods. They're full of surprises…" Paul said, getting a bowl out of the nearest cabinet and tossing the small pink fruits in. "Just last week I learned that you can actually grill them."

"No shit." Melissa sat down on the counter, next to the bowl.

"Yes shit."

"Why were you grilling berries?" Emma decided that she had to join the conversation somehow.

"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back." Paul said plainly, as if it explained everything. "I wonder how Charlotte feels about that phrase…"

"Well, she isn't a cat." 

"She's a furry."

Melissa and Paul gave Emma a puzzled look.

"Nevermind, get back to cooking."

They both nodded, even though Melissa wasn't helping with breakfast in the first place. Paul broke up the other fruits with his hands and tossed them into the bowl. As he tossed the salad, a fresh and sweet smell wafted around the room. Emma was ready to eat, but then Paul got something else out of the fridge. It was a jar of blue jello. That's what it looked like anyways. "What is that?" Emma asked

"It's nectar!" Paul said, opening the jar and pouring some of it, since it turned out it was syrupy, into the bowl. "I got it from the garden. Some crazy things sprout over there sometimes."

"Was it from those blue vines?" Melissa asked, swinging her feet back and forth, knocking them into the cabinets beneath the counter.

"No. It was from those green flowers that popped up last month." Paul picked up the salad and gently shook the bowl. "Breakfast time!"

It was the best fruit salad Emma had ever tasted. The magenta fruit, which Emma learned was called a dawntien, had a mild tangy flavor which complimented the strong sourness of the blue citrus. The tiny gelberries popped as she chewed on them, letting their sweet and sugary juices spread in her mouth. The dish wouldn't have been the same without the nectar though. That nectar tasted like something she just couldn't exactly identify. It tasted a little bit like marshmallows, and a little bit like apple juice and peach, and a little bit little birthday cake. But it wasn't quite any of those things. It tasted like something made with love. It tasted like an embrace. It tasted like acceptance. It tasted like a family. Melissa was the first one to finish eating. "That was delicious!" She hopped out of her chair. "It kinda reminds me of when I was a kid. When I first came here, I was so amazed… but I was a little scared too, honestly." She sighed, looking up. She seemed to be deep in thought. "This place is the best thing that's ever happened to me." She kept quiet for a few more moments before snapping back to reality. "Oh! Shoot, my level is leaving the forest, isn't it?" Melissa looked at the hallway that led to the front door. "I should go before I'm late." She sped down the hallway. "Goodbye!" She shouted as she left the house, closing the door behind her.

  
  


Paul and Emma left their dishes in the sink. They both decided to go on a walk that morning. Paul led Emma down the cobblestone road that ran through town. A few people waved as they walked past their houses. Paul waved back. They went to the small white dome held up by the four pillars on the northeast side of town. That small structure was just a gateway to something far grander. The garden was a sea of color, with a dirt path tying it together. The sun shined down on the side variety of blossoms. The pinks, reds, yellows, purples, blues, oranges, and even greens danced in the wind along with the butterflies. A cluster of fruit trees grew in the southeast corner, directly to Emma's right. Near the back of the garden were tangles of strangely colored vines. The twists of blue and purple looked right at home in the forest, even amongst the quite normal looking lilies and roses. It stretched far, the path winding through the trees. It left Emma in awe. "Paul, this place is beautiful."

"It looks even better at night." Paul said, holding onto Emma's shoulders. "You would fit in perfectly here, Em."

Emma blushed as she let out a small giggle. "Shut up, fluffball. Let's go." She ran ahead of Paul, into the sea of flowers. 

He ran after her with a big smile. "Hey! Wait for me!"

"Light doesn't wait for anyone!"

"Neither do sunbeams!"

"Those are the same thing!... Wait-"

Paul caught up to Emma and picked her up as she slowed down to think about a different thing to say.

"Ah!" She giggled, looking up at Paul with joy. "You really are as quick as a sunbeam."

"Don't run off, I have a place to show you." Paul blinked a few times. He was feeling a bit of deja vu. It felt as if he and Emma had ran around the garden before, but she hadn't seen the forest until the day before. It would be impossible. He had a lot of memories of the garden. He helped make it, and it was where he grew his wings and learned how to fly. His cocoon was right in the center of the garden. It had probably been cleaned up, but he could still remember what it looked like. But this memory? The one crying from the back of his mind? It was hazy, almost dreamlike. He could only remember sounds and smells and a voice. The voice sounded young and sweet and tender, but it was all that he could remember. He had lots of memories like that. It was why he forgot about the members of the council so often.

"Then let's go." Emma was eager as ever to see where Paul would take her.

Paul walked through the garden with Emma in his arms, while the memory slowly weaved its way back to the front of his mind. Eventually one image came to him. Eyes. Green eyes that were wide and full of energy. They looked like they could glow in the dark. They could be emeralds or grass depending on how you looked at it. He carried Emma as they passed beneath tangerine trees and marmalade leaves. 

_ Somebody called his name there. He answered quite slowly. That's what he remembered. _

"Paul, look!" Emma was staring straight up at the trees, pointing at them.

"... Yeah?" It took Paul a moment to respond, seeing how his brain was so crowded. He looked up too.

"It's a butterfly." Emma hadn't seen one like that before. It's light pink wings made her think of cotton candy and bubblegum.

"Oh, those ones are rare." Paul said, a smile growing on his face. "I heard if a couple sees one then they'll live happily ever after."

"Sounds fake." Emma shrugged, looking back at Paul. "But since it's you and me, I think it might be true this time."

"I think so too, Moonlight."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." Just like the memory. It was coming together. He started from the beginning, letting it play out itself.

  
  


_ Paul was full of energy when he was younger. He would run around every day. His favorite place was the garden. He helped plant the flowers there, and it was also a place where he met someone very special. He called her Lizzy. She had bright green eyes, vibrant red hair, and a smile that could light up the night sky. They would see each other every day in that garden. She would always have something exciting to show him. That day was special though. It was his 16th birthday, which meant he was going to start his spell classes soon. Lizzy had a present for him. She was waiting by the saplings. She called his name. _

_ "What is it?" Paul answered quite slowly. _

_ "Happy birthday!" She didn't look at him. She was staring at a leaf. "I have something to show you, come here." _

_ He quickly went to Lizzy's side, looking down at the same leaf. "Is it a caterpillar?" He asked, referring to the little pink bug crawling around on the plant. _

_ "Not just any caterpillar." Lizzy whispered to Paul. "It's really rare." _

_ "Well what kind is it?' _

_ She giggled, grabbing onto Paul's hand. "It's a fairytail! And since we both saw it, guess what!" _

_ "What?" It seemed like everything Lizzy said just gave him another question. _

_ "If two people see it then it means they're gonna marry each other ten years later!" _

_ "You say that like you weren't planning on making me do that already." _

_ "Well, now it's a guarantee, Mothy!" Lizzy looked away from the leaf and instead looked into Paul's eyes. Hers were filled with excitement, like they always were, but there seemed to be even more of it now. His cheeks reddened as she placed a kiss on both of them. "And that isn't even your present." She said as she started to lead Paul away from the saplings. _

  
  


But the rest of the memory didn't come. It would probably be best for him to let it go anyways. Whoever Lizzy was, she certainly wasn't with the others anymore. Now he had Emma, and Emma had enough flowers to make a bouquet in her hands. Paul hadn't realized how far they had walked. They had already passed the center of the garden. The memory was fading again. It was just Emma once again. "Something on your mind?" She asked. "You've been quiet."

Paul nodded. "Just an old friend." The garden had grown so much since then, just like him. He looked around, and then he saw it. He started to run towards the hill. The top was capped by a bed of red roses. The path didn't go that way, but it wasn't off limits or anything. Paul knew that it wasn't the right way to the place he wanted to show Emma, but there was something else there. He just wanted to run faster every time he saw those bursts of light near the ground.

"Paul, who is that??" Emma held onto Paul's sweater. He was running towards someone on a hill. They looked like a young girl, about seventeen or eighteen years old. She could only assume that he wanted to meet them because of their pair of light up shoes. "Do you even know her?"

"Of course I do, Em!" He was at the bottom of the hill now, and the girl was running down the hill. They almost ran into each other, but Paul prevented it by squishing Emma and the girl together in his arms. The girl looked up at him.

"Paul?"

"Alice, it is you!" He let her go, but still held onto Emma. "How are you?"

"What are you doing in the middle of the forest? My dad freaked out when he didn't see you at work. He went to look for you. I knew he was gonna get lost, so I came too." Alice glanced around, trying to see if she recognized any of her surroundings. "And what is this garden?"

"I live in this forest. The garden is just part of town. I had to come back here for a meeting, and I need to keep Emma safe. It's a bit of a long story, but I'm fine, really." Paul explained. "Where's Bill?"

"He's somewhere around here, that's for sure," Alice shrugged, "I thought he was right behind me, but I guess not." She looked back at the top of the hill. "Oh! There he is!"

Bill rushed downhill to join Alice, Emma, and Paul at the bottom. "Alice, you gotta slow down! You know I can't run that fast… I'm glad that you found Paul, though. What's that barista doing here though?"

"It's Emma, and it's none of your business." Emma didn't say anything else. She didn't want to think about why she was there.

"You know, if too many people learn about the forest-"

"I know Bill, but Emma wouldn't do that." Paul put a hand on Bill's shoulder, hoping it would make him feel better. "If you guys are lost, there's a hotel in town."

"Well, we aren't lost. Or at least I'm not." Alice looked up at Bill. "Can we see the town?"

"Fine." Bill waited for Paul to take the lead.

  
  


Paul led his friends through the garden as Emma stuck her flowers in his hair one by one. Bill and Alice were amazed by the garden. Alice decided to grab a few flowers for her girlfriend while they were there. They all took turns sharing stories and jokes. Alice's smile hadn't changed at all. She and Bill were even more amazed at the town itself. Alice loved the houses and trees, while Bill was more impressed by the layout of the whole place and the larger buildings. Paul dropped Emma off at home, and casted a protection spell so that nothing could get in. He took his friends to the hotel on the western side of town. He helped them get settled in their room before going back home to see Emma. He found her curled up on the couch, bundled up in blankets. Paul sat down next to her. She suddenly seemed a bit tired than she was earlier, and her face looked a bit red. He put his hand on her forehead. It was hot. Very hot. "Oh, Emma…"

"Yep, no idea where that came from." She said with a sigh. "I just started feeling like shit out of nowhere. I bet it's the inevitable deat-"

Paul shushed Emma as fast as he could. "Stop it right there, Moonlight, you're gonna live."

Emma didn't argue, but she wasn't sure if she agreed with him anymore. "Okay, okay."

"You're too precious to die." Paul said, giving her a hug. "We're gonna live forever."

"Yeah, sure." Emma replied half-heartedly.

Paul kissed her head, wrapping his wings around her. "I love you."

"I love you too, Paul."

He continued to sprinkle her head with kisses. Emma smiled a little bit, but she didn't really cheer up. He stayed on the couch with her as long as he could. He gave her an ice pack for her fever, and continued to cuddle and kiss her while saying the sweetest things he could come up with. She was still unsure about her death, but she felt a little bit better. Paul would have continued, but it was already almost midnight somehow. He went to bed. Emma would have gone with him, but she didn't even want to move. That night Paul dreamed. He dreamed of that important day in the garden.

  
  


_ Lizzy skipped through the garden with Paul following behind her. She stuck leaves in his hair, since the flowers hadn't grown yet. Paul went a bit off course though. He ran over to the tree that was growing to mark the center of the garden and started to swing on one of the branches. Lizzy looked back at him, and decided to join him. They called each other as many nicknames as they could as they swung. There was Mothy, Dreamy, Fluffy, Emerald, Cutie, Angel… The list went on forever. It seemed like it would never end until Paul felt some sort of sticky silk forming on his fingers. "Lizzy? Is there something on my hands?" _

_ Lizzy looked up to where Paul was keeping a tight hold on the branch. "I think? What is that?" _

_ He shrugged as he felt something traveling down his arms. They were becoming stiffer and stiffer. He stopped swinging, feeling anxious. He looked up to see a shell or something growing there. "What's happening??"  _

_ "I don't know! I think it might be your cocoon or something?" Lizzy let go of the tree branch so she could fish a book out of her backpack. "I could check." _

_ "That would be nice!" The shell had already reached his elbows. _

_ She flipped through her book. "It's just your cocoon, Mothy. Most people like you go through this before spell classes start… Though you are a bit late…" _

_ That calmed Paul down. The shell separated from his body, and instead started to surround it. It was at the top of his head now. "Well, that's good." _

_ "Wait… No!" _

_ "Lizzy??" _

_ "No no no!" _

_ "Lizzy, what's wrong?!" _

_ "You started too late!!" She cried, trying to pull him off of the branch. "That's really bad, you could get hurt, or lose your memory! You might forget me…" _

_ "Lizzy, I would never forget you." The shell was blocking his vision, but maybe it was for the best. He didn't want to see her sad. _

_ "Paul!! Paul!" _

_ "Lizzy-" _

_ "Paul!!! Paul, you have to stop!" _

_ "Shh, shh…" _

_ And then she screamed. But that wasn't her voice. It was a different one but… What voice was it…? _

Emma's. It was Emma's voice. Paul jolted awake. Thank god it was only a dream.

But then he heard it again.


End file.
